The natural elements of rain, wind, sun and the drastic change in climate brings a focus onto the adaptability and flexibility shown by nature. Whenever we witness the strength of mother nature in the powerful force of the wind and watch the trees bending with the wind, it is amazing to also see that the trees are flexible to withstand the might of the wind and remain in place after the storm has passed.
To be able to go into the storm and become adaptable to endure your own conflicting forces takes inner strength. Whenever your natural state of safety is ruptured, safety and inner peace is challenged.
Flexibility is needed to come through the distress and danger, which changes our nervous system to one of protection. Understanding that the body is doing what is natural to maintain safety when feeling threatened, will support a shift of nervous states and allow the body to protect you.
A shift can mean feeling hot, sweaty, racing heart beat and a nervous stomach, promoting a need to run, escape, fight, shout, be still, silent, take yourself out of the situation because it is uncomfortable, frightening or feels unsafe.
The state will jump into either fight, flight, shutdown or fawning and will be a home from home, familiar to your own nervous state, when your body senses danger or threat, (Dana, 2021)
Issues can become problematic when there is no imminent danger in the present moment, but your body has been triggered and is reacting to a threat in your past. As Mate, (2022) discussed his own personal trigger of being abandoned, jumped his nervous state into a response of being given to a stranger to be looked after during a dangerous time in his past, and he reacted to a present feeling, as though he was experiencing the same feeling, in the present time.
The body unconsciously shifts nervous states to keep you safe and protect you. Whenever overwhelming emotional distress occurs, it may shutdown and disconnect takes over, to aid survival. Levine, (1997) describes the need to dissociate with reality in times of a near death situation or when life is too painful to be in the present moment, such as a near car crash or being abused.
Traumatic experiences can keep people stuck in their own adaptive reactions, details Van Der Kolk, (2014) and he explains that by understanding your inner senses and your awareness of your bodily responses, can open the door to another option, of choice and freedom to respond in the present time, to re-connect the body and mind.
This connection with the bodymind, gives an opportunity for healing. Once we understand what is going on in our body, we can start to regulate our own nervous system and re-connect with yourself, others and the world, (Perry, Winfrey, 2022).
Recognising that our nervous system will change continually from the moment we wake up, until the moment we go to sleep, and that it will work to keep us safe, frees up an element of self blaming or that there is something wrong with you.
Safe connection and regulation support, through counselling, can offer an awareness and understanding of your inner self and allow you to be flexible in your own choice of responding, thus becoming resilient.
References
Dana, D., (2021) Anchored, Boulder, Sounds True.
Levine, P., (1997) Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma, Berkley, USA, North Atlantic Books.
Mate, G., (2022) The Mythe of Normal, London, Penguin Random House, UK.
Perry, B & Winfrey, O., (2022) What Happened to You, London, Bluebird.
Van Der Kolk, B., (2014) The Body Keeps the Score, London, Penguin Books.
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